1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparel on which are printed markings of meridian pathways with acupuncture points. The apparel may be used as an aid in teaching, practicing or performing skills or exercises such as acupressure massage, shiatsu massage, martial arts, dance, and acupuncture medicine.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Meridian pathways with acupuncture points are well known. There are fourteen primary Meridian pathways, which may be grouped in pairs and are attributed to organs of the body. They are:
Yang Arm: small intestine, triple heater, large intestine
Yin Arm: lung, pericardium, heart
Yang Leg: Urinary Bladder, Gall Bladder, Stomach
Yin Leg: Spleen, Liver, Kidney
Extraordinary: Governing Vessel, Conception vessel
The Meridian pathways are typically illustrated in text books or computer graphics showing pictorial diagrams of the human body. The location of acupuncture points are illustrated in the same diagrams.
While these pictorial diagrams with meridian pathways and acupuncture points have been useful to illustrate where they are on the human body, it is still difficult to identify where the meridian pathways and their acupuncture points are located in the absence of the pictorial diagrams. Indeed, practicing some moves in shiatsu massage that call for hand movements that follow along the meridian pathways is cumbersome without such pictorial diagrams handy until one has practiced the moves repetitively for a long time. Acupressure massage requires applying compressive pressure to the body's acupuncture points. Until one practices acupressure massage long enough to know where the acupuncture points are, such pictorial diagrams are needed for accuracy. The same can be said for certain kinds of martial arts training or acupuncture medicine that need to identify acupuncture points on the body.
It would be preferable to readily identify the meridian pathways and/or acupuncture points of the body without the need to look at pictorial diagrams of the human body while instructing, practicing or performing a skill or exercise that requires identifying the meridian pathways and/or acupuncture points of the human body.